Travel Deal of the Day (August 25, 2008)

If you are trying to decrease your travel costs on your next vacation, I have found one way to decrease your costs at least $50-$100/day – change your breakfast.

The Deal:
Hotel breakfasts have become extremely expensive. I have noticed that hotel breakfasts, especially buffets, have become much more expensive. It is not uncommon to spend $30/person plus tax and gratuity on buffet breakfast at a high end hotel. If you are trying to stick to a vacation budget, I would consider skipping the buffet breakfast (and the hotel breakfast restaurant) and just buying something less expensive. I have often found that the best place to buy breakfast is at a supermarket or coffee stand. If you buy a bagel and orange juice at a supermarket for a few dollars (and skip the expensive hotel breakfast), you will often cut your total trip costs and be just as satisfied.

Another thing to note is that sometimes a buffet breakfast is included in your hotel rate – but, whatever the hotel tells you, that breakfast is not “free” – you have paid for the breakfast in your hotel rate. You should inquire if your hotel has rates that do not include breakfast – at some hotels, you are actually paying quite a bit for that “free” breakfast.